14 Ways to Start 2014 Right

This is sort of a redo of a post I did this time last year, but thought it could pertain to any year!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably just come off a pretty hectic week month, and you might be feeling a bit “hungover.” Not just with alcohol, but with food, shopping, driving around town, etc. It’s time to regroup with 14 things you can do to start 2014 off right!

I love the week between Christmas and New Years because it tends to be a little quiet, so what better time to tackle some of these items on the list.

1. Find a spiritual practice that works for you. Whether you’re religious, spiritual, or somewhere in between, find a way to connect to your god, earth, source, nature, etc. in 2014. My go-to practice is daily meditation.

2. Clean out your fridge and cupboards. Go through everything and get rid of unhealthy snacks and food that has been sitting in your fridge for awhile. While you’re at it clean the fridge.

3. Stock your fridge and cupboards. Go to the store and stock up on healthy foods. Set yourself up for success by feeding your body and brain with wholesome, nutritious foods. Eat some fruits and veggies you’ve never tried before, or try some new, healthy recipes. Drink a green smoothie every day. My recipe is 1/2 cup almond milk, protein powder or peanut butter, one banana, a handful of spinach, and 4 ice cubes.

4. Evaluate Relationships. Do an inventory of people in your life. Is there anyone who is toxic to you that you can release from your life? Is there anyone you need to forgive? Is there anyone you want to make amends with? If you have annoying co-workers you can’t get rid of without breaking the law, what can you do this year to try and make the relationship more tolerable? Remember you can’t expect anyone to change. Only you can do that.

5. Declutter. Recycle old magazine, give used books to the library or friends, get rid of things that are broken, sell some stuff on Craigslist or Ebay, and organize your closets. Walk into the new year with less of a footprint.

6. Delete and organize old emails. There is nothing like the feeling of an empty inbox. Yes, this takes some time and can be scary, but it’s very freeing! While you’re at it, unsubscribe to junk email, especially sites like Groupon and Living Social if you’re trying to watch your budget this year.

7. Spend some time visualizing your new year. What do you want it to look or feel like? Who do you want to be around? Where are you traveling? Open yourself up to any possibility, whether the goals are actually achievable or not.

8. Set goals for yourself. After you’ve done your visualization, start brainstorming and writing down what you hope to accomplish in the new year, and be specific. Don’t bog yourself down with so many that failure to accomplish them will leave you disappointed, or you feel overwhelmed with the task. I’ll have mine posted this week.

9. Schedule appointments. Pencil in or actually call and make your appointments for 2014, like the dentist, doctor, accountant, etc.

10. Shop your closet and come up with new ways to put outfits together. Donate or sell old clothes you’re not using.

11. Get your financial house in order! Set financial goals, start and stick to a budget, adjust your budget if you already have one, automate payments, etc. If you have debt, create a plan to pay it off. Check your credit cards and bank statements to make sure you’re not getting old subscriptions you are no longer using. It’s also a great time to check your credit score!

12. Take a social media sabbatical. Take a week or month off from Facebook and/or Twitter, especially if you feel it’s affecting your life in a negative way, like seeing everyone coupling up this time of year and traveling when you haven’t been able to.

13. Set health and fitness goals! One of the best ways to get motivated to exercise is to set some goals for yourself. Attainable goals though! Sign up for a 5k, 1/2 marathon, or mini triathlon. My pet peeve is when I read people’s fitness goals of exercising one day per week. One day?! That’s nothing! It’s better to do 10 minutes of SOMETHING every day!Only then can it become a habit. If you want to lose weight, remember there is an 80/20 ratio. It’s 80% what you eat, 20% exercise.

14. Go easy on New Year’s Eve! How about waking up feeling good on January 1st? Have fun, but go easy on the food and alcohol, and by all means have a safe means of transportation!

Yup, i’ll be doing 2,6,5, and 10. 10 is my favorite and I do that several times of year!

http://budgetandthebeach.com/ Tonya

Nice job!

Charles@Gettingarichlife

To a great new year Tonya for 2014

http://budgetandthebeach.com/ Tonya

Thanks, same to you!

Giulia Lombardo

Great plan, I have a lot of similar goals too:)

http://budgetandthebeach.com/ Tonya

Thanks! Best of luck to you in the new year!

Fit is the New Poor

We are in the process of decluttering and selling a ton of our old things on Craigslist (especially all the crap from our wedding). I’m also working on making yoga a part of my daily life again. Hopefully this will lead to a fruitful New Years!

http://budgetandthebeach.com/ Tonya

Thats awesome Michelle! Hope you sell lots of stuff!

Ryan @ Impersonal Finance

I’m definitely going to be drinking a smoothie everyday, declutter my body of toxins as I declutter my house. I didn’t have a bad 2013, but I’m looking forward to having a better 2014! Hope you feel the same

http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/ Alicia

We have already started to trim the clutter and I cleaned out the fridge the other day! Great tips. I am starting the New Year off with a giveaway of our all natural organic skincare products. Hope you drop by and enter. ecofriendlyhomemaking.com

Girl Meets Debt

Great tips for starting the new year better T! This year I have set some pretty serious ambitious goals for myself and in the past that probably would have scared me off but the new me can’t wait for 2014 to start!

Jefferson

I can tell that you health and fitness is a big part of your goals for the year ahead, and I am absolutely in the same boat. Lots of great advice here, Tonya.

jolie

I have been decluttering quite a bit the past few days, though the others in my house fight it tooth and nail. I loved your comment about taking time off from social media – I am struggling with all these ‘look at the warm places we have been/are going’. It really makes me wonder what I did so wrong that I can’t afford those sorts of things. Great post.

Erin @ My Alternate Life

I definitely have some decluttering work to do in 2014 — I need to purge word docs, email folders, and paperwork before it drives me totally nuts. Digital clutter sucks just as bad as clutter clutter in my mind.

I also definitely need to stock up on healthy foods for sure! My house is currently full of cookies and Christmas treats. Yikes!

http://www.LisaVsTheLoans.com/ Lisa vs. the Loans

I’m going to be doing a lot of re-evaluations of my relationships. Slowly, I’m coming to realize that some people just aren’t as into you as you are into them.

http://www.LisaVsTheLoans.com/ Lisa vs. the Loans

Also, is it me, or is there no “share to Twitter” button?

http://budgetandthebeach.com/ Tonya

It’s there. It’s the little birdie icon.

http://www.LisaVsTheLoans.com/ Lisa vs. the Loans

*facepalm*

http://shopmyclosetproject.com/ Michelle

I like to do a food cleanse and spend time closer to home during the month of January. This year I’m deep, deep cleaning my place, de-cluttering and preparing for an unexpected carpet removal…I also like to write letters to friends during January as my holiday cards are ALWAYS late. I also took time off of social media and blogging. Sadly I slipped once and saw the guy that I used to like on Facebook-glowing and happy with the new wife. I didn’t make that mistake again…and I need to remove him from my friends list!

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